This application is related to vehicle power socket adapters, and particularly to an augmented version of such an adapter that includes a glass breaker.
There are many situations where persons in a motor vehicle, such as an automobile, may need to escape from the motor vehicle quickly and safely. This could occur, for example, in the event the motor vehicle was involved in a collision, became immersed in water, caught on fire, and the like. In most motor vehicles, windows present an obstacle to easy escape. If an occupant is unable to open a window in the vehicle, it may be necessary to break the window in as short a period of time as possible while requiring limited strength and range of motion, particularly if the occupant is injured, fragile, weak, and in some instances having a little time or room to break the window.
Further, there are situations where a particular form factor and/or voltage of a vehicle's power socket (e.g., “cigarette lighter outlet”) is inappropriate. For example, a user may wish to charge a portable electronic device (e.g., mobile phone, e-reader, music player, etc.) that requires a USB port for charging. Because a vehicle's power socket is typically at twelve volts, which is inappropriate for a USB port, some form of adapter is required. Such adapters are known, but they do not include any glass-breaking function.
Thus, there remains a need for a multiple-function device that provides a power adapter function and that also includes a glass-breaking function. Such a device could be easily reachable to a user in an emergency situation by being simply plugged into a vehicle's existing power socket.